Stupidity
by buckbeaker
Summary: Draco and Hermione keep bumping into eachother. And it is really pissing Hermione off. She's ready for Malfoy to get a taste of his own medicine. UPDATED! SHORT, BUT...
1. Chapter 1

The loud clicking of Hermione's shoes echoed through the empty halls. She was late for class. She was never late. She picked up her pace when she heard McGonagall lecturing a first year on the importance of being on time.

_Just one more hallway._

Hermione flew down the stairs, hardly picking up her feet—simply letting them glide from one worn step to the next.

_Idiot!_ In her haste, one of her legs had fallen through a trick step.

This wasn't good. Hermione was half an hour late for Potions on an exam day, and now she was stuck. She gripped the marble rail with both hands and pulled up frantically, pushing down on the step with the uncaught leg, but to no avail. After about five minutes, Hermione gave up and tried to make herself as comfortable as possible in her half standing half sitting position.

"Hey, Hermione!" Hermione turned her head to see Neville coming down the stairs at top speed.

"Neville, watch—" Too late. Neville had fallen through the trick step and was in the same awkward position as Hermione.

Neville smacked his forehead with the palm of his hand. "Crap. Snape's already docked Gryffindor 15 points for my being late this week alone! Seamus and Dean are gonna kill me!"

"I'm late, too, Neville…" Hermione was attempting to console him, but her words seemed to have the opposite effect.

Neville smacked his forehead again. "That's right! I wasn't paying attention, and instead of helping you out, I just fell through the damned thing, too! Oh god, I am not having a good day."

"With your luck, you must never have good days Longbottom. And Granger! I'm surprised at you! A prefect late to class; naughty naughty!" Hermione sighed as she saw Malfoy trotting towards her and Neville.

"So why, pray tell, aren't you in class, Malfoy?" She glared at him. What was it with Malfoy and his weird fixation on making everyone want to punch him? Hermione would have done the latter, but that smug little face was too far away.

Malfoy feigned shock. "Now surely, Granger, even a mudblood like you should be able to remember that prefects have responsibilities to patrol the hall even during the day. This period just so happens to be the one I am required to protect the school from danger during."

Right…Hermione had totally forgotten about that. But the fact that Malfoy had exploited that, and called her a mudblood while she was down just made her all the more furious.

"Then perhaps, Mr. Good doer, you could get me and Neville out of this before he falls through the stairs," said Hermione, gesturing to a distraught Neville, who has somehow managed to push himself further into the trick step in his efforts to free himself.

Malfoy rolled his eyes, but took a grab of Neville's unsuspecting wrists and yanked him up. With a little yelp, he toppled down the last few steps. Hermione frowned up at Malfoy, who was watching in amusement.

"Now that's just mean, Malfoy. Not to mention completely unnecessa-" Hermione couldn't finish, for she was struck with a little wave of shock as Malfoy heaved her out of the stairs. Out of fear, Hermione clutched at the nearest thing, trying to steady herself. Unfortunately, that nearest thing was Malfoy, and instead of just Hermione toppling down the stairs, Malfoy was dragged down with her.

"Oof," Hermione groaned. She had definitely bruised a few ribs or something. She heard a little yelp and looked around to see Malfoy lying on top of her, arms splayed out at random angles. Let's add that the arms were also _touching_ very _awkward _places.

Self-consciously realizing the position she and Malfoy were in, she shoved him off with a look of pure disgust, only to hear him voice another groan. Getting up with a little difficulty, she saw that Neville was in a position similar to Malfoy, but Neville seemed to be unconscious.

"Malfoy, get up you lazy arse," Hermione prodded him with her foot. "You need to help me carry Neville to the hospital wing. I think he's unconscious."

"Do I _look_ like I can carry someone right now, Granger?"

"You look more capable than Neville does."

Malfoy glowered at her, but eventually pulled himself up. But during his attempt to get up, Hermione realized that he was right: he really couldn't carry anyone in that condition. Hell, he probably couldn't walk. Of course, she was just judging from the fact that his shoulder bone wasn't in the right place, and there was a little trickle of blood flowing down his leg, but it seemed like pretty viable evidence.

"Erm. Sorry about that Malfoy, you obviously can't do very much right now… give me a moment and I'll go look for a teacher," Hermione muttered nervously; she really couldn't stand the sight of blood.

She took off down the hallway towards the Potions classroom. Snape wasn't her first choice, but she supposed that if Malfoy was involved, he might be a bit keener to help.

Hermione crept nervously into the classroom, hoping not to attract much attention, but Snape saw her before she could explain.

"Tsk Tsk Miss Granger… so late—and on an exam day, too. I'm afraid I'll have to dock some points from Gryffindor!"

"Please, professor Snape, I-"

"None of your excuses Miss Granger. You'll need to get started right now if you've any intention of receiving a passing grade," Snape sneered.

" PROFESSOR!... it's about Malfoy…and Neville… there was a trick stair, and they're both pretty rattled up."

Snape's face turned a blotchy red before he exploded, "Why didn't you report this to me at once, Granger? Students could be in danger!" and with a swish of his greasy hair, Snape hurried out of the classroom, with Hermione following close behind.


	2. Chapter 2

Part two

Part two

Snape was absolutely terrified at the prospect of his star student in pain, and hurried down the dungeon hallway to the stairs, where Neville and Malfoy were sill lying in pain. Snape paid little attention to Neville till Hermione reminded him that he was a teacher, and should be concerned about all of his students. Snape rolled his eyes a little, but sent Neville up into the air alongside Malfoy.

Hermione, seeing everything was in order, started to wander away, but apparently Snape was still peeved at her, because he made _her _direct Neville up the stairs to the Hospital Wing.

When they arrived, Madam Pomfrey was extremely befuddled with the trick stair excuse for Hermione, Neville, and Malfoy's injuries: what could have harmed them _that_ much? But seeing as she was such a kind soul, she fixed them up quickly, and ushered the three into beds.

"Now, children, whatever it is that really went on in the staircase, let's not have a repeat, please," she said with a raised eyebrow. Hermione tried to explain that she didn't need to lie down, but Madam Pomfrey would hear none of it.

So Hermione was stuck in the Hospital wing. With Malfoy and an unconscious Neville. And no books. Great.

She lay there, staring at the ceiling for a while, but the silent tension in the room was driving her insane.

"So… how are you coming along on that essay for Transfiguration?" Hermione tried feebly to start a conversation.

Malfoy turned on his side, making sure Granger couldn't see his face. "None of your damn business, Granger. And can we please keep the talk to a minimum? I'm concentrating here."

Hermione looked at him, befuddled, "What could you possibly be concentrating on? There's nothing to do."

"I'm working on blocking you out. Now shut up."

Hermione huffed silently at the still figure in the bed next to her. Malfoy could be such a prat!

And the annoying thing was that he knew it. He knew he was an ass, and he just used it to his advantage. Well, having people taking swings at you may not actually be an advantage—but the fact that everyone who _does_ take a swing at him gets detention definitely is a VERY big advantage.


End file.
